Paying the price for ignoring emergency laws
Fines and even jail awaits those who break the restrictions
THE EMERGENCY services are continuing to fine or arrest people who are refusing to stay at home – with some offenders being jailed.
While the government has stressed that the vast majority of people are knuckling down and following the regulations, they noted that a small minority have been caught flouting the law.
On Sunday Guardia Civil patrolling near Ambolo Cove in Jávea spotted a small party enjoying a day at the beach.
The couple, said to be from Madrid, their housekeeper and the children were surprised by the intervention.
They attempted to justify their behaviour by saying they had to get the youngsters out of the house and were taking advantage of the good weather.
However, they were sanctioned for breaking the isolation rules intended to hinder the spread of Covid-19.
A woman trying to force her way into a Gandía supermarket after it was shut swore at police who tried to send her home – and has been sentenced to six months in jail.
She was seen in the Raval district scrambling under the metal blinds as the store manager was closing them, and trying to push through the main doors.
Police told her to go home as the shop was shut, and she said she ‘was going to get in by hook or by crook’.
She refused to keep her distance from them when reminded of the minimum onemetre safety gap, and responded with what they described as a ‘torrent of bad language’. The woman had already been sentenced in September 2017 for resisting an officer of the law.
As her six-month sentence falls within the two-year minimum, she may not have to serve it, despite the previous charges.
A woman accused of shoplifting in a Mercadona in Almoradí was arrested by the army's special operations command (MOE).
Mobile phone footage of the incident showed her apparently attacking a security guard and an employee, then eventually being subdued with help from bystanders.
A subsequent video shows her lying on the ground in handcuffs then being led away by soldiers from the MOE, which is in the municipality to assist with security and disinfection work.
A repeat quarantinejumper who told police he was ‘sick of staying indoors’ has been sentenced to four months in jail, but will not have to serve it unless he reoffends.
National Police spotted the accused walking down Calle Ferrocarril de Alcoy in Gandía at around 17.15, and asked him where he was going.
He reportedly replied in an arrogant manner that he was ‘going nowhere in particular’ and he was going to ‘keep going out whenever he wanted’.
Almoradí local police stated on Sunday that they had reported a total of 203 people for repeatedly disobeying the state of emergency, proposing fines that range between €100 and €600.
A spokesman for the force said they had received many calls from residents who had seen people violating the restrictions, and so increased the number of checkpoints for vehicles and pedestrians.
They asked residents who want to collaborate to call 96 678 33 86 or 96 678 16 26, but not to post accusations or requests for help on the local police’s Facebook page.
Elche city hall reported on Sunday evening that local and National Police had issued 500 proposed fines over the weekend to people for violating the state of emergency. They also made three arrests and shut down five businesses that were not authorised to open.
They issued 290 fines on Monday and 270 more on Tuesday, and closed three more busineeses.
Elche local police made use of a drone to increase their vigilance of rural areas and
Photo by Ángel García the coast and prevent people travelling to their second homes. Security councillor Ramón Abad said they will keep using the drone until the state of emergency is over.
More than 6,000 people have been fined and 19 people have been arrested in Murcia region for breaking the lockdown and trying to reach their holiday homes.
According to national government representative in Murcia region José Vélez, most people are staying at home, but a minority are trying to get to their holiday homes on the coast at the weekends and therefore checkpoints on roads are being increased.
“They are putting their own health and other people’s health at risk,” he said.